God's Tongue Meets Devil's Son
by Trace Carter
Summary: A simple trip. That's all it took for two individuals to meet and start things off on the right foot. The children of two of Tootsuki's greatest Alumni will shake the foundations of the Cullinary World and show the strength of their talent.
1. Chapter 1: Their Meeting

**God's Tongue Meets Devil's Son**

 **I read a few fanfics where Erina and Soma don't start off as enemies and actually go through canon as friends and allies, and eventually, after reading the manga more, I decided to create my own fanfic. I hope you all like it and wouldn't say no to someone to help me with ideas, as this will diverge from canon starting from episode one.**

 **Note: There will be spoilers for those not that caught up with the manga.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Shokugeki no Soma.**

For Nakiri Erina, Tenth Seat on the Tōtsuki Culinary Academy's Elite 10, known throughout the culinary world as God's Tongue, her life was a hard and lonely one. Sure she had her Grandfather, and while her Cousin and Aunt got on her nerves, they were still somewhat close, but one thing she seemed to never have, was a friend. Even Hisako, her personal assistant, eventually began to keep a certain distance as they got older and she focused on her work. Many people saw her as a privileged princess that reigned over the world of fine cuisine, but only her Grandfather knew of the one person who caught her attention and earned her respect.

xXflashbackXx

"Grandfather?" asked a young Erina, "Where are we going? Am I going to be doing another tasting for a client?"

The old but still extremely spry, Senzaemon Nakiri, chuckled at his granddaughter's tone as the two of them drove through the streets of Japan in one of the Nakiri family's cars. He had planed this outing for his granddaughter's benefit, knowing she had been working very hard at her job as a taster and critic for high-end food establishments, and thought she could use a nice break.

"No, Erina," said the Headmaster of the Tootsuki Culinary Academy, "we're just going to visit an old friend."

"Old friend?" asked Erina.

"Why yes," said Senzaemon, "he runs a small family diner in Sumire Town."

"A diner?" said Erina with a raised eyebrow. She wondered why her grandfather would bother heading to a commoner restaurant in such a small town.

"I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, Erina," said Senzaemon with a mysterious smile.

"If you say so, grandfather," said Erina as she looked out the window at the passing buildings.

Soon their car pulled up in front of a diner with letters spelling out the name 'Yukihira' emblazoned on the restaurant's awning in white letters.

'Yukihira?' thought Erina, "Grandfather, is this really the place?"

"It is indeed, Erina," said the man as their chauffer opened the doors, allowing them to climb out, "This place is run by a Tootsuki Alumni who we've come here to see."

"An Alumni owns this place?" asked Erina.

"One does indeed, Erina-chan," said a familiar voice, causing the young blond girl to perk up and smile as she saw a familiar man with red hair and a goatee walking out of the diner.

"Saiba-sama!" exclaimed Erina happily.

"Good to see you in such high spirits, kiddo," chuckled the former Second Seat of the Tootsuki Elite 10, "and Senzaemon-dono, to what do I owe this unexpected visit?"

"I had some free time and thought it would be nice to see how you were doing, Jōichirō," said Senzaemon, "plus, I thought Erina here would like to meet that son you've been telling Dojima about."

"Son?" said Erina in surprise.

"Hey pops!" exclaimed a boy's voice from inside, "Today's the day! I'm going to make you acknowledge my cooking!"

A young boy with red hair like Jōichirō ran out of the diner ran out wearing the same outfit as the Tootsuki Alumni with the addition of a white bandanna tied around his arm. He stopped short when he saw the two Nakiris standing with his father and looked to him in confusion.

"Sorry Soma," said Jōichirō, "We have some important guests today, so I'm going to have to postpone our match."

"Aww," pouted the boy before turning to Erina with a smile, "Hi. What's your name?"

"Nakiri Erina," said the girl haughtily, expecting him to be in awe over her reputation.

"I'm Yukihira Soma," said the boy, "I'm the Sous Chef here at Yukihira's."

"What is your relation to Saiba-sama?" asked Erina.

"What are you talking about?" asked Soma, "Who's this Saiba person you're talking about?"

"What are _you_ talking about?" asked Erina, "You called him 'Pops' earlier when you ran out."

"You mean my dad?" asked Soma, "Why are you calling him 'Saiba?' His name's Yukihira Jōichirō."

'Saiba-sama changed his name?' thought Erina in surprise.

"Oi Soma," called out Jōichirō before she could question further, "I need you in the kitchen!"

"Coming!" exclaimed Soma as he ran inside frantically.

Erina chuckled as she and her grandfather found seats in the diner, glancing around at the other happy patrons. Perhaps there was something to be said of small family restaurants like these, where people could eat and relax without having to worry about pomp and circumstance.

"You seem to be having a good time Erina," said her grandfather.

"Well, it's nice to see Saiba-sama again," said Erina, "and I never knew he had a son."

Senzaemon chuckled as Jōichirō brought out two plates of food and set them in front of the two Nakiris.

"Here you go," said the former Second Seat, "compliments of the house."

Erina smiled and eagerly took a bite of the food, allowing her God's Tongue to fully enjoy the depth and range of flavors that the dish contained.

"So," said Jōichirō, "what do you think?"

"It's quite good," said Senzaemon.

"It's wonderful," said Erina, "Saiba-sama doesn't disappoint."

"Well, I hate to burst your bubble," chuckled Jōichirō, "but I didn't cook this time."

"Then who did?" asked Erina.

"Soma-kun," said Jōichirō, "come out here for a minute."

Jōichirō's son came running out in a hurry, his headband now tied around his head.

"I'd like you to meet your chef for this afternoon," said Jōichirō.

"You made this?" said Erina in surprise.

"Of course," said Soma with pride, "did you like it?"

"Yes," said Erina, "it was excellent."

"Soma," said Jōichirō, "why don't you take your break a bit early and entertain Erina-chan here."

"Ok!" said Soma.

"Grandfather?" asked Erina, getting a chuckle from the old man.

"Go on," he said, "I have some things to discuss with Jōichirō anyway."

Erina nodded and Soma led her out of the Diner. The two of them walked through the Shopping District for a while, with Soma showing the Nakiri princess the shops and attractions.

"So what do you think of our Shopping District?" asked Soma with a smile.

"I admit it is quite entertaining," said Erina with a smile.

"Right?" said Soma with a smile.

"This is the most fun I've had in a while," said Erina.

"Well," said Soma, "what're friends for?"

"Friends?" said Erina with surprise.

Soma nodded, "Of course. Don't you want to be friends?"

"I think I'd like that," said Erina with a smile.

"Erina," said Senzaemon as he walked up, "it is time for us to be going. Thank you for your time, Jōichirō."

"Always a pleasure, Senzaemon-dono," said Jōichirō with a respectful nod.

"Come back and visit soon!" said Soma as the Nakiris got into their car and drove off.

xXflashback endXx

Erina was brought out of her remembrance by Hisako lightly shaking her shoulder, reminding her where she was.

"Erina-sama?" asked her Personal Assistant and Aide.

"It's nothing Hisako," said Erina, "I was just lost in thought for a moment."

The Nakiri princess nodded to several attendants around her and they wheeled several carts of ingredients into the next room, with her following behind. Facing the assembled students she looked them over with a cool expression.

"I have been entrusted with today's entrance examination," she told them, "My name, is Nakiri Erina, "If any of you wish to be admitted to this Academy, you must do one thing."

Picking up an egg from one of the carts she turned and held it up for all to see, "With eggs as the main ingredient, you will make one dish. If that dish can satisfy my palette, then and only then will you be admitted into Tootsuki Academy."

Seeing the horrified looks all the gathered students had from hearing the details of her daunting challenge, the Tenth Seat allowed a smirk to grace her features.

"In addition," she stated, "I am giving all of you one minute to withdraw from this examination if you so desire."

The stampeding hoard of students trying to escape the hall and the all but futile task of creating a dish that would meet the expectations of the God Tongue herself brought a smile to her face. Erina was about to turn and leave when Hisako caught her attention.

"Erina-sama," said Hisako, "someone has chosen to remain."

Erina turned, curious to see who this courageous, or possibly foolish, student was and her eyes widened when she saw a familiar redhead with a white headband tied around his arm.

'It's him…'

 **I hope you like the beginning of this fanfic. Please let me know what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2: The Entrance Exam

**God's Tongue Meets Devil's Son**

 **Hello again. Wow, I really didn't expect such a positive response this early in the fic's development. I hope I can live up to all of your expectations in regards to the future of this story. Now, shall we begin?**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Shokugeki no Soma and do not take credit for any similarities this chapter has to the anime or manga.**

 **Note: I could use someone to help me think up original dishes for this story. Let me know if you can help.**

As Erina looked at the familiar redhead that was currently examining the ingredients and tools that were set up on the kitchen carts, she couldn't help but smile as she remembered meeting her friend.

"So can I still make an attempt?" he asked as he looked at the two girls.

"Yes," said Erina, "I believe you still have a chance."

"What a relief," sighed the redhead, "I thought I was out of luck for a second."

Hisako frowned at the casual way this student was speaking to Erina and pulled out a folder. Opening it to reveal a profile, she showed it to her companion.

"Erina-sama," said Hisako, "his family runs a small diner in Sumire Town's Shopping District, but otherwise, he doesn't have any admirable background in the culinary world."

"It's alright, Hisako," said Erina with a smile, "I already know all about him, and his background is actually quite impressive."

"You do? It is?" said Hisako in shock as she looked at the boy who was now examining the sharpness of the knives.

"Indeed," said Erina, "we're old friends. Isn't that right, Yukihira Soma?"

xXsceneXx

When Soma saw the stampeding hoard of students rush past him, he didn't know whether to be afraid or disgusted. Afraid that the entrance exam would be so daunting, that it sent all these prospective students fleeing in terror, or disgusted that these so called high class members of the culinary world would run and hide when things got tough. Deciding that he would follow his own advice, he asked the examiner, a blond girl about his age, if he would still be able to make an attempt. Upon hearing her confirmation, he breathed a sigh of relief and began to examine the tools and ingredients to get an idea of what he could use.

"Isn't that right, Yukihira Soma?"

Soma looked up upon hearing his name and turned to see the blond girl smiling at him.

"Ano," he said, "do I know you?"

"Don't tell me you forgot?" said the girl, "You cooked me lunch at your Diner and you showed me around the town."

Soma thought back, trying to remember those events and suddenly remembered a certain young blond and her grandfather from when they visited his Diner.

"Erina-chan!" he said in surprise, "It's been a long time. I didn't know you were a student here."

"Of course," said Erina, "my family owns the school and I am among the top ten student chefs."

"That's pretty impressive," said Soma with a smile.

"Well," said Erina with a smirk, "I assume you're here to apply for admission?"

"Yup," said Soma, "Pops sent me here."

"Well then," said Erina, "you heard the rules of the test, and my palette has become much more refined since we last met, so I do hope your talents have improved as well, or you'll never pass."

"Heh," said Soma as a smirk of his own spread on his face, "if that's the case…"

He loosened the headband tied around his wrist and tied it around his head in a quick movement, "…then I don't have anything to worry about, Erina-chan."

Soma moved quite quickly, cracking several eggs into a bowl and beating them together while boiling…something in a pot on the stove. Erina watched as the talented young man tasted what was brewing in the pot and poured it into a pan that he placed on a bed of ice and decided to make an inquiry.

"Yukihira-kun," said Erina as she stepped forward, "would you mind telling me what it is you're cooking?"

"Oh?" said Soma with a cheeky smile, "You can't tell? Well, I'm preparing a dish from the Restaurant Yukihira's Secret Menu."

"Secret Menu?" said Erina in an impressed voice, "What kind of rare dish would you be preparing then?"

" _Furikake Gohan (Rice with Seasoning)_ ," said Soma proudly.

"…"

Erina glanced at Hisako to see if she had heard the name wrong, but judging on the look on her companion's face, she had heard correctly. Slowly turning back to Soma, she regarded him with a flat expression.

"…Is that a joke, Yukihira-kun?" she asked in a level tone.

"Nope," said Soma, "though to be honest, this won't be normal Furikake Gohan."

"Oh?" said Erina, "Then what kind will it be?"

Soma smirked, " _Transforming Furikake Gohan!_ "

'Transforming Furikake Gohan?' thought Erina, 'Yukihira Soma, you never cease to surprise me.'

"Well then," said Erina, "I look forward to seeing what it will transform into."

Soma smiled and continued to cook, pouring the mixture he was simmering in a pot into a tray that was sitting on ice and cooking the beaten eggs while separating them into small chunks. Soon he scooped some white rice into a bowl and placed the eggs with the chilled mix in a separate dish.

"Finished!" said Soma.

Erina watched as Hisako leant in to examine the egg dish that Soma had concocted.

"It looks rather ordinary," she reported.

"Don't judge it just yet," said Soma, "a good chef knows, that the value of Furikake is best shown when it is served on white rice."

"Well then," said Soma as he picked up the bowl with the egg bits, "now for the finish."

Soma poured the contents of the bowl onto the steaming rice, revealing several cubes of some sort of gelatin that began to melt as it came into contact with the steaming rice, coating it and the egg bits with a glistening amber sheen.

A faint aroma of chicken tickled Erina's senses and against her will, her mouth began to water in anticipation of whatever Soma had concocted.

"Then I shall judge," said Erina as she picked up her chopsticks and took a bite.

Immediately, her palette understood the wonders that the young chef had concocted in his dish, using a soup made from chicken and other things that he turned into a gelatin in order to coat the rice and eggs, he had brought together a symphony of flavors that danced with her senses and made her envision herself floating on a cloud.

"Yukihira Soma," said Erina once she had collected herself, "you've surpassed the level you were at when we last met."

It wasn't a question and Soma smirked in pride, however, Erina wasn't going to puff up his ego too much.

"However," she smirked, watching him deflate a bit, "you're still not at my level."

Taking his entrance papers from Hisako, she grabbed a rubber stamp and placed it down on the form.

"Welcome to Tootsuki, Yukihira-kun," she said, "There will be an assembly later where you will be formally admitted. Don't be late, and do see me afterwards. I have some things to discuss with you."

xXsceneXx

As Erina and Hisako headed to the assembly where Yukihira Soma would be formally introduced as a new Transfer Student, Erina's aide decided to ask a question that had been on her mind.

"Erina-sama," she said, "who was that boy? You seemed to know him well."

"We met once," said Erina, "his father is a Tootsuki alumni and runs a small diner with him as a sous chef."

"So he is skilled?" asked Hisako as she looked in her files, not seeing anything about a Tootsuki alumnus in Soma's profile.

"Quite," replied Erina with a nod, "and he's only improved since we last met."

"I assume you're going to ask him to join you?" she asked.

"Of course," said Erina, "he would be a most valuable ally."

The purple haired girl nodded and the rest of their walk was carried out in silence.

xXsceneXx

As Soma waited backstage, he wondered what kind of academy this Tootsuki place was. As he made his way onstage, he looked out at all the students gathered and smirked. They were all exactly what he expected: students. Nothing more.

"Oh," he said with a chuckle, "sorry to be talking to you all from up here. My name is Yukihira Soma. To be honest, this academy is just a stepping-stone for me. I wasn't expecting to be transferred here."

"However," he said as he schooled his face into a smirk, "I don't plan on losing to folks who've never actually served customers."

The student body gasped at that and began muttering in outrage at the audacity of this new student.

"Anyway," continued Soma, "what I'm getting at is, basically, now that I'm here, I'm gonna take the number one spot."

"I look forward to spending my time here with you," he finished with a bow.

The students let out an outraged uproar as Soma walked off the stage, some even throwing trash at his back as he left. This transfer student thought he would stand above them?! He would learn not to look down on Tootsuki!

As Soma walked backstage again, he was greeted with a familiar face.

"Well," deadpanned Erina as she leant against a post, "you sure know how to make enemies. Is what you said out there true? Do you seek the top position in this school?"

"Yup," said Soma, "I'm gonna make pops proud and take the spot for myself."

"Hmph," smirked Erina, "well then, Yukihira-kun, as the Tenth Seat of the Tootsuki Elite 10 council, I have an offer for you. One that could help your goals in the long run."

"Oh?" asked Soma, "And what would that be?"

Erina turned to face him fully, "I would like you to join my faction as you further your skill as a chef."

 **And cut!**

 **A little note, Erina and Soma will be a bit OOC due to several things. Erina isn't as haughty and hostile to him because of their past and because I felt it would work better, and Soma isn't going to be as big of an idiot.**

 **Let's face it, he's a genius chef, but socially…well, you don't force a new friend to try a disgusting dish and you don't mock your examiner during your entrance exam.**

 **Nuff said.**

 **Tune in next time. :D**


	3. Chapter 3: Polar Star

**God's Tongue Meets Devil's Son**

 **This story is certainly getting a positive response. In return, I will try my hardest to continue to update this fanfic. I hope I'm taking this fanfic in a direction that is both original and entertaining for all.**

 **Ideas and advice are welcome.**

 **Note: after looking back at the manga, I realized I was misspelling Souma's name as Soma, so I'm fixing that from now on.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Shokugeki no Souma. I wish I could cook like them, though.**

"Your Faction?" asked Souma upon hearing Erina's offer, "What's that?"

"Well," said Erina, "as the Tenth Seat, I have amassed a group of allies within the student body that help me with some of my personal projects. In exchange I use my influence to give them access to whatever resources they need to pursue their own culinary works."

"So you want me to join you?" asked Souma, "What kind of projects are you working on right now?"

"Just my Kitchen Expansion Project," said Erina.

"Kitchen Expansion?" asked Souma.

"I've found my current workspace to be too small for my tastes and ambitions," said Erina, "I've been working to expand it by removing redundant and unnecessary clubs in the school to make way for the expansion. Should you join my group, I'd be happy to share the enlarged space and expanded resources with you as well."

"Dunno," said Souma, "my goal is to reach the top here."

"And if you join me," said Erina, "I'm sure you'll have the resources to get there, but there's one thing you should know."

"And what is that?" asked Souma.

Erina smirked, "If you want to claim the spot of First Seat, the top spot in this school, then you'll have to surpass me first. And I'm going to be aiming for that spot as well."

"Well then," said Souma, "keep your rivals close, right? I'm in."

"Excellent," said Erina, "do you have any plans on lodgings?"

"I'm not sure," said Souma, "I read in the student manual about a place where I could dorm on campus, so I was going to head there."

"Good luck then," said Erina, "I would like you to meet up with me afterwards so you can be introduced to the rest of my faction."

"I'll see you then, Erina-chan," said Souma with a smile, before the two of them headed to classes.

xXsceneXx

After her lessons for the day were done, Erina was walking through the halls when she heard several students talking. She was about to ignore their gossip, but she heard something that caught her attention.

"Yeah it was that Transfer Student."

' _Are they talking about Yukihira-kun?_ ' she wondered as she paused to listen.

"I heard his cooking made Chapelle-sensei smile!" said the student.

"No way," said his friend, "the Transfer Student made Chapelle-sensei smile? Nobody's ever been able to do that."

Erina's eyes widened as she heard that. If those rumors were true, then Yukihira Souma was already shaping up to be a skilled cook. She was right to have recruited him. Perhaps she could begin to advance her plans for her Kitchen Expansion Project. She might even allocate more than the usual amount of space for Souma's own workspace…if he could earn it, that is.

Her interest thoroughly perked, she decided to find her friend, and knowing he was headed to the find on-campus lodging, she opted to go find out where he might be headed.

"Hisako," said Erina to her aide, "I'm going to need a list of the on-campus dormitories."

"Hai, Erina-sama," said Hisako as she handed her a paper, "in fact there is only one on record, and that is the Polar Star dormitory. Am I to assume that you will be heading there to check on Yukihira Souma?"

"You assume correct," said Erina, "if it's true that he was able to make Roland Chapelle of all people smile with just his cooking, then I believe it's time to induct him into our ranks."

"I'll call the driver at once," said Hisako as she got out her cellphone.

xXsceneXx

By chance Erina's limo managed to catch up to the redheaded chef as he walked along the path to the dorms and he accepted her offer for a ride to the dormitory.

"Wow," said Souma as he looked around, "I never thought you'd have a car like this, Erina-chan."

"Why wouldn't I?" asked Erina with a smirk, "My Grandfather is the headmaster after all and I'm the heiress to the Nakiri Family."

"I assume you were headed for the Polar Star Dormitory?" said Hisako from where she was sitting.

"Yeah," said Souma, "how did you guess?"

"I didn't need to," said Hisako, "there is only one on-campus housing site for students, and considering you've come all the way from Sumire Town and helped run a small diner, I doubt you'd be able to afford to rent out an apartment. Taking all of that into account, then it's obvious that you'd be going to the Polar Star Dorms."

"Wow," said Souma, "you really know a lot, Arato."

"Of course," said Erina with a smirk, "she's _my_ aide after all."

Hisako smiled at the compliment and continued with what she was saying, "There is also one other thing you should know about Polar Star, Yukihira Souma: the dorm is known for having a strict entrance exam that anyone who wishes to live there must pass. To get a room, you must cook a dish for the Dorm Mother that meets her expectations using ingredients you bring with you."

"What?" said Souma in surprise, "But I didn't hear about that!"

"It should have been in your welcome packet," said Hisako with a frown.

"Oh," said Soma, "I kinda lost that."

This caused the two girls to face-fault in the car before composing themselves and giving the redhead an annoyed look.

"Honestly," sighed Erina, "you really need to be more careful, Yukihira-kun."

"Sorry about that," chuckled Souma, "but I don't think it will be that much of a problem."

The rest of the ride was passed in silence until the limo drove up to a large, worn building that had ivy vines growing on it.

"Is this the place?" asked Soma, getting a nod from Hisako.

"This is it," confirmed Erina's aide, "the Polar Star Dormitory."

"Shall we head inside?" asked Erina.

The trio of students headed into the dorm and saw an elderly woman sweeping up the foyer. While the outside of the building looked rather run down, the inside resembled something out of a high-class hotel.

"Oh?" said the woman, "Are you three here to apply for rooms? I must admit I didn't expect you to be here, Nakiri-san."

"I'm not here for a room," said Erina, "but Yukihira-kun here, is."

"Well then," said the lady, "the name's Daimidō Fumio, this dorm's Dorm Mother, and I'm sure you know about our entrance test?"

"Heh," smirked Souma, "just show me the kitchen and I'll show you what I can do."

"Hmph," said Fumio, "what kinds of ingredients did you bring?"

"None," was Souma's prompt reply.

"…you can't be serious," deadpanned Fumio before she frowned at the redhead and led him into a well-furnished kitchen, "do you know how many students here have tried and failed tonight alone? Don't expect me to admit you with some dish you throw together."

Souma took a look around the room and smiled at what he saw, "Not a problem. Prepare yourself Daimidō Fumio-san…"

Souma whipped his headband off his arm and tied it around his head with a confident look

"…because this won't be a problem."

The three girls watched as the redhead got to work, quickly cracking open several eggs and using his hands to drain the liquid from the contents of a small can as he cooked a pot of rice. Soon a burger patty was sizzling on a skillet while a pot of soup boiled on the side.

"I must say," said Fumio, "I didn't expect this."

"I've found Yukihira-kun to be full of surprises," said Erina with a smile.

"Still," said Fumio as she looked at the dish Souma was finishing, "there wasn't any meat left, so how were you able to make such a delicious looking Hamburger Steak?"

"Heh," smirked Souma, "it's canned mackerel. I made a Saba Burger!"

Erina smiled as she watched Souma explain how he concocted the meal he had placed in front of the Dorm Mother. The fact that he could create such a delicious looking meal out of kitchen leftovers made her certain that he would go far in Tootsuki. Perhaps he would even take her place as the Tenth Seat of the Elite 10…after she claimed the Ninth Seat of course. As she watched the Dorm Mother's reaction to the food, she was amused, and strangely enough, a little jealous, as the old woman tried to kiss the redheaded teen, much to his horror.

*Ahem*

Erina cleared her throat, causing Fumio to come back to herself and straighten her clothes with a dignified look.

"Well," said the Dorm Mother, "you've passed with flying colors, Yukihira-kun. Here's the key to your new room. Bathroom's upstairs if you want to wash up."

As Erina watched Souma hurry off to unpack and get cleaned up, she couldn't help but smile and muse to herself that the boy named Yukihira Souma must have truly been born under a lucky star. Suddenly a feminine shriek split the air and Fumio mumbled something about it being the girls' bathing time and she frowned.

Maybe not so lucky then.


	4. Chapter 4: First Task

**God's Tongue Meets Devil's Son**

 **So big kudos to Tremor230 for the inspiration for this chapter and for a good chunk of the content. I admit that I was in a bit of a rut and that's why I reached out to find help writing this story. I do hope to live up to all of your expectations.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Shokugeki no Soma. I wish I could cook like them though.**

"A Bento Club?" Souma asked confused.

The teen chef had agreed to meet up with Erina after class one day to discuss business. When he had arrived at the manor she was staying at and using as a base of operations, she had proceeded to inform him that, as a part of her faction, she required him to take down a club that was squandering the budget that the Elite 10 had been giving them for their work.

"The full name should be 'Gourmet Revitalization Group', which is basically a group of students that ideally want to re-invent dishes and recipes to bring out their full potential...or so it was on the papers they submitted to the Elite 10 for their budget application." Erina answered as she sat behind a desk in a makeshift office in one of the rooms of the mansion.

"But ever since the birth of this club they are seemingly 'stuck' in re-imagining Bentos, so much that apparently they switched target into turning a Bento into a dish for high-class society as well," Hisako interjected flawlessly as she produced from her bag a thick folder.

"Suffice it to say that that was not in their application and the council will not let that stand," said Erina as she steepled her fingers, "but there is more you should know about this, Yukihira-kun."

"There are twelve students in this Club, at its head, there is Kawajima Shukaku, a recently transferred student that had immediately risen in rank and forcefully drove the Club in their current mindset." Hisako added as she handed part of the file to Soma.

"...She looks kinda harmless..." Souma commented at seeing the picture of a red-haired girl smiling wide at the camera.

"Just like you she focuses on cooking and has no other interest bar being number one, CONTRARY to you though she is also shrewd and not against playing dirty to achieve her goals, she had used several Shokugeki in a row to weed-out who she thought was unworthy of HER Club, along with gaining her current workspace," Erina answered.

"There is an unconfirmed rumor about this girl using her feminine 'charms' to distract her foes or of few of her followers making sure the competition could not sleep or find the proper instrumentation," Hisako added making Souma's eyes narrow.

"Feminine charms?" he asked.

"Too short skirt, too tight blouse, too many buttons left unbuttoned, you name it, and she's probably used it." Erina answered huffing in distaste.

"And nobody's said a thing?" asked the only male in the room with a frown.

"They wouldn't admit being checking her out instead of working and, sadly, as a girl she would have had an easy time twisting it into them being the perverts, not that her lackeys wouldn't have covered her, so thus nobody has talked. It is the downside of a society where everybody is afraid to be labeled a pervert." Erina answered sighing.

"I get it, more or less. What do you suggest then?" Souma asked nodding.

"Simple, if she likes to use the Shokugeki System to get what she wants, then I want to use it to take away her kitchen space and dismantle this useless Club, there is already one dedicated to experimentation of new recipes, they can join that if they want to continue. There is no place for Fan Clubs and Idols in this Academy if she wants to be the popular girl she can find another campus."

"Oooh! You want me to challenge her to a Shokugeki then, Erina-chan?" Souma asked in realization.

"Yes, in her specialty as well, Bentos. You think you are good enough for this, Yukihira-kun?" Erina asked with a tiny smirk.

"Hehehe! I'll create a Bento that will blow you away, Erina-chan! Just you wait!" he answered excitedly.

"Wonderful!" said Erina with a smirk, "Hisako?"

"I'll go alert Shukaku-san of the impending match," Hisako nodded before marching towards the door to deliver the message.

"Yukihira-kun?" added Erina with a smile

"Yes?" asked the boy.

"Destroy them, please," Erina asked with a sweet smile on her face as a miasma seemed to form around her.

"Okay!" said Souma as he completely missed the killing intent, considering that it was not aimed at him personally.

xXsceneXx

A few hours later found Souma sitting in the Polar Star kitchen with several prototype Bentos sitting around him on the tables. The teen sighed as he looked over the dishes he had concocted, all of them were good, but he didn't feel they had the impact he wanted.

"Souma-kun," said Tadokoro Megumi, a shy blunette that had become acquainted with the transfer student in Chapelle-sensei's class and, as it happened, also lived in Polar Star, "is everything alright?"

"Tadokoro," said Soma, "perfect timing. I need someone to test some dishes."

"Eh?" said Tadokoro in surprise.

"Here," said Soma as he handed her a bento that consisted of some, "try this."

Megumi picked up a pair of chopsticks and picked up some of the fried fish and rice sprinkled with furikake in the bento. The girl tasted the food and swallowed before thinking about the array of flavors.

"I think the food is a bit too oily," said Tadokoro, "maybe if there was some sort of tartness or acidity to counter it?"

"Hmmm," said Souma, "what could be used in a bento to add a tart acidic flavor?"

"What is all this for?" asked Megumi.

"Oh," said Souma, "I'm going to be competing in a Shokugeki on behalf of Erina-chan. Something about her kitchen expansion project and the fact that the bento club isn't supposed to be focusing only on bentos."

"Oh," said Megumi, "so you need to create a better Bento?"

"Yeah," nodded Souma.

"Well good luck, Souma-kun," said Tadokoro, "Oh, Ryoko wanted to borrow some vinegar to use in her fermentation work, so…"

"Wait," interrupted Souma before he began to mutter to himself, "an acidic tartness that would go well with rice…that's it! Thank you Tadokoro."

With that, Souma grabbed some bottles from the shelf and began to work on creating another bento, causing Megumi to sigh and pluck up a bottle of the vinegar that her fellow dorm mate wanted for her work.

xXsceneXx

"Erina-sama," said Hisako as she read through some paperwork before handing it to the Tenth Seat to sign, "do you think Yukihira Souma will be able to defeat Shukaku? He may have experience in the kitchen, but, regardless of what tactics she has used, Shukaku has proven her culinary skills in the Shokugeki arena before."

"I wouldn't worry, Hisako," said Erina as she signed a form involving the a Shokugeki with the Donburi Research Society, "I have faith in Yukihira-kun. I've seen the quality of both their food, and I believe Yukihira-kun will prove to be the superior chef."

 **I'll put the Shokugeki on the next chapter, as it forces me to be more detailed and descriptive while creating the battle instead of allowing me to subconsciously choose the easy way out, triggering a mental block I've been working to remove.**

 **See you next time.**


	5. Chapter 5: SHOKUGEKI!

**God's Tongue Meets Devil's Son**

 **Ok, so this chapter will feature the Soma's first Shokugeki for this fic. I will try my very best to make it a good one and I have been brainstorming how the battle should go, both in terms of dishes cooked and how the chefs will behave.**

 **I hope I can live up to your expectations.**

 **Note: there might be a bit of a surprise in the aftermath. It's a pleasant one though.**

 **Note 2: after doing more research, I found I was spelling Soma's name right the first time. I feel foolish. XD**

 **Disclaimer: Shokugeki so Soma belongs to Shun Saeki and Yuki Morisaki.**

"Right," said Soma as he looked over his supplies in the contestant waiting room of the Shokugeki arena, "Looks like everything's set."

Picking up the case containing his Kitchen Knife set and the containers of ingredients he had prepared for the match, Soma headed into the arena with a confident smile.

xXsceneXx

"Welcome!" said Kawashima Urara, 92nd generation Tootsuki student and Master of Cerimonies for many of the Academy's Shokugeki and events.

"My name's Kawashima Urara and I'll be your host for this exciting Shokugeki."

The audience cheered as the girl's cute charm and enthusiasm got them pumped up and excited for the match, Urara lived for these kinds of events and that was why she always volunteered to be the Emcee for the Shokugeki that were broadcast to the school.

"Entering the arena to defend the Gourmet Revitalization Club, we have Kawajima Shukaku, a recent transfer student that has shown us her skill in the Shokugeki arena several times already!" announced Urara as a red-haired girl walked into the arena with a cheery smile, waving at the crowd as she carried her Shokugeki supplies to her cooking area.

As the crowd cheered for her, Shukaku smiled and blew them a kiss, getting even more cheers and cart-calls from the male members of the audience, unknown to all, this move irritated Urara fiercely as she discreetly glowered at the redhead.

Let it not be said that Urara wasn't quite vain with a need to be the center of attention.

'Damn bitch,' Urara raged mentally, 'Stealing my audience with her charms. They should be cheering for me! ME!'

"And challenging her," said Urara, skillfully not showing any of her inner loathing on her face, "We have Yukihira Soma, another transfer student who has caused quite an uproar and is now challenging Shukaku.

Should he win, the Gourmet Revitalization Club will disband, but should he lose, he will be forced to become Shukaku's lapdog until graduation."

Boos and taunts were heard as Soma walked onstage, but all that changed to malicious cheers as the students heard what Soma was risking, all of them hoping to see the audacious transfer student be reduced to practically a slave in all but name.

"So you're the guy that Nakiri wanted me to challenge?" said Shukaku cutely before her tone got a lot more serious, "I don't know what kind of background you had before coming here, Transfer Student, but you won't beat my culinary genius when it comes to Bentos!"

"Your name is Shukaku, right?" said Soma without turning around as he opened his Knife case and checked the edge of one of his blades, "I don't mean any offense to your club, but I'd like to think that I know quite a bit about bentos from working in the diner back home, so I wouldn't take this lightly if I were you."

Curiously, while the knife DID cast a very dramatic-looking shine on his face, the cartoonish smile Soma was sporting at the idea of taking part to a new challenge created quite the contrast, making the onlookers wonder if they should feel more the tension of the dramatic side of the knife or smile along at the cute side of the chef.

"If both contestants are ready," said Urara, watching the two chefs nod in answer.

"Then let the Shokugeki…BEGIN!" she yelled with a new cheerful yell making the audience roar in approval.

Shukaku quickly got to work, placing mushrooms, shallots, garlic and thyme into a food processor and using the machine to render the ingredients to a paste that she began to cook in a sauté pan with butter and olive oil.

 _Fiiiiiiiz!_

The smell of the cooking food permeated the stadium and caused the audience's mouth to water as the food was being prepared while the noise of the fizzling sauce seemed to cover every other noise, demanding complete attention from the ones watching.

Soma was not being idle either however, as he had already placed some rice in a cooker while cutting up some chicken and fish and mixing a batter to cook them in, all this while the stove next to him was heating a pan full of oil for later use, thing that had the less-prepared wonder what he was planning to make for his bento.

"Hey, Transfer Student," said Shukaku as she let the mix on the stove simmer while she cut up some beef tenderloin, "Since you're cute, I'll offer you a deal. If you drop out now, I promise to leave you a nice place in my club as an underling instead of making you my errand boy." she said with a wink.

Soma didn't respond, and instead continued to cut up his ingredients without a care in the world, an act that began to irritate his opponent fiercely at the absurdity of her being ignored.

"OI!" she said, "Aren't you going to say something?!" her tone had immediately switching into a growl of annoyance.

"Well," said Soma, still with a childish smile on his face, "I would, but a good chef knows that the kitchen is a place for actions, not words." he then said cheekly.

Shukaku was about to respond, with few chosen words not very flattering in nature truth be told, when the stadium broke out in confused chatter and excited whispers.

"That's her!"

"What's an Elite 10 member doing here?"

"Wait, didn't Kawajima-san mention the 10th seat sent the Transfer Student?"

Shukaku's eyes widened and she looked up to the VIP viewing box and saw that, yes, it was now being occupied by Nakiri Erina herself and her aid as they observed the match.

Smirking, Shukaku quickly went back to her cooking, after all, beating the dog in front of his master would be oh so sweet indeed.

xXsceneXx

"It looks like Yukihira-kun is doing quite well," mused Erina as she watched the match.

"Erina-sama," said Hisako, "You've known Yukihira Soma for a while, correct?"

"Somewhat," said Erina with a small smile, "We met as children and he cooked a meal for my Grandfather and I."

"So he's a prodigy then?" asked Hisako curiously.

"It's a bit more complicated than that," said Erina.

"What do you mean, Erina-sama?" asked Hisako, "For someone to have enough talent to impress both you and your grandfather at such a young age, how can he not be one?"

"I asked my Grandfather the same question actually," answered Erina as she thought back to after the two of them had left Restaurant Yukihira."

xXflashbackXx

"Grandfather," said a young Erina as the limo took the two of them back to their residence at Tootsuki Academy.

"Yukihira-kun is some kind of prodigy, right? I mean being Saiba-sama's son would do that."

"Heh heh," chuckled Senzaemon, "Jōichirō-san told me something interesting about young Soma. He is not any more talented than any boy his age would be. However, he possesses, or rather lacks, a key aspect that makes him so talented."

"What would that be, Grandfather?" asked Erina.

"When many people face a daunting challenge, they subconsciously limit themselves by rationalizing that they would most likely be defeated, so they don't try as hard as they should," said Senzaemon, "With Yukihira Soma however, he lacks that mindset and instead treats every defeat and challenge as a way to grow stronger and learn more, as so not to fail next time."

"But Grandfather," said Erina, "How can you learn anything from failure?"

"Erina-chan," said the elder Nakiri, "Failure can be the greatest teacher of all, as it tells you what you must improve and what was done to surpass you."

"Really?"

"Really. Just like his father said: Soma-kun never truly loses, he either wins or learns. That is what makes him different."

Erina was silent for the rest of the ride as she pondered these thoughts.

xXflashback endXx

"I see," said Hisako, "so you truly have confidence that Yukihira Soma will succeed?"

"Indeed," said Erina.

Meanwhile, back in the arena, Shukaku was putting the finishing touches on her bento as the timer ticked down on the match.

"It's ready!" said the red-haired girl with a proud smile.

"It looks like Shukaku-san has finished first," said Urara, "Tell us, what kind of bento have you prepared?"

"Well," said Shukaku, "I wanted to please our judge's refined palettes, so I prepared a special Beef Wellington Bento."

The crowd murmured in wonder, as they had never heard of Beef Wellington being used in a bento before, watching as Shukaku placed three bento boxes in front of the judges and opened them to reveal a heart shaped cut of beef tenderloin coated in a savory pâté and a puff pastry, surrounded by rice mixed with furikake.

"Oh my, what an elegant Bento," said one of the judges, a noted restaurant critic by the name of Yuko Izumi, "It is almost too beautiful to eat."

"Indeed," said Takeru Yamamoto, the owner of a five star restaurant chain, "The meat and the pâté have been cooked to perfection and the aesthetic design is most pleasing."

"However cute it may be for the eyes," said Shiho Kawamura, author of _'Regiis Domum Coctione_ ', a world-renowned Cookbook series, "The true measure is in the taste."

The three judges cut a piece out of the meal and sampled it with some of the rice, feeling the savory flavors mixed with the seasoned rice flow over the judge's taste buds, and causing them to close their eyes as they enjoyed the wonderful interplay of tastes from the high-class ingredients.

"A truly wonderful dish," said Shiho, "The pâté compliments the beef and the juices coat the rice, allowing for the flavors to truly dance."

"This is truly high class cuisine reimagined," said Takeru.

"To think one could turn a dish like this into a bento," said Yuko, "It is truly a treat."

"Hmph," smirked Shukaku as the judges ate her food, "Good luck beating my superior cooking, Transfer Student."

"Calling me Soma won't kill you, you know?" said the boy with a pout.

"Well," said Urara once the judges had finished eating, "It is time for Yukihira Soma to present his dish."

Soma walked forward with three bentos with a calm expression on his face, placing them in front of the judges, and then lifting the lid to reveal several pieces of tempura-fried fish and chicken with some pickled ginger on the side.

"This is a Yukihira Special Tempura Bento," said Soma, "Please eat it while it's still warm."

"Compared to our previous dish, this seems rather lacking," said Takeru.

"Again, a dish is not merely judged by looks, we are here for the taste too." said Shiho as she and the other judges used their chopsticks to take a bite, "Oh my! This is…"

To Shukaku's surprise, the judges began to dig into Soma's dish with more fervor than they had with her own, in fact the three of them quickly finished the meal and gave a contented sigh at the flavors they had just experienced leaving them looking blissfully satisfied.

"Truly impressive," admitted Yuko, "The fish and chicken were fried to perfection, but the real clincher is definitely the rice."

"Yes," agreed Takeru, "The rice was mixed with vinegar, similar to rice prepared for sushi, allowing for an acidity that cuts through the rich and fatty flavors of the other ingredients, something that was lacking in the previous dish. Honestly impressive."

"What?" exclaimed Shukaku, "But my Beef Wellington is far superior to simple Tempura!"

"Perhaps on a culinary perspective," said Shiho, "But your dish fails because it is too heavy and oily, causing one to limit how much they can consume. Yukihira Soma's dish instead had a solution to that, using the acidity of vinegar to curb the oils used in frying his food."

"Indeed," nodded Takeru, "Said this, I think we have come to a decision."

Shukaku looked on in horror as the judges cast their votes and the display screens showed the score to the crowd.

Shukaku Kawajima – 0

Yukihira Soma – 3

"Eh! It wasn't much," said Soma as he removed his headband with a flourish and a giant smile.

xXsceneXx

"Well," said Erina, "what do you think?"

After the match had ended, and after Erina had had the Gourmet Revitalization Club's workspace cleared, the Tenth Seat had called Yukihira Soma to meet with her in the now vacant clubroom.

"It's certainly big," said Soma as he looked around at the large kitchen, which, while being stripped bare, was still rather impressive, truly enormous.

"It's yours now," said Erina, causing the redhead to snap his gaze toward her.

"Eh? What do you mean?" asked Soma with wide eyes.

"You did quite well today, Yukihira-kun," said Erina with a smile, "so I wanted to reward you. This entire workspace is now yours to use in your work to attempt to reach the top. Hisako will draw up a budget for you to use when furnishing this place, so spend wisely."

"Okay, I guess...Thanks Erina-chan," said Soma with a smile.

"Think nothing of it," said Erina before she and Hisako turned to leave.

"That was awfully generous, Erina-sama," said Hisako.

"I was just rewarding a friend," said Erina with a smile.

With Yukihira at her side, she would be able to further her goals and the two of them would one day reach the top of Tootsuki.

 **Edited by Tremor230**


	6. AN: Not quitting, moving

**So, I'm going to be slowly migrating my active stories to Archive of our Own. Please be sure to check me out at this new site.**

 **archiveofourown users/Trace_Carter/**


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